mark-eric

Q: Need an unlocked iPhone 7!

Hey Everyone!

Im not sure what carrier Im gonna be with in the near future. I want to go ahead and order my iPhone 7 but none of them are unlocked. Im with AT&T now but we may change to Verizon soon. Any thoughts?

iPhone 7

Posted on Sep 22, 2016 6:38 AM

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Q: Need an unlocked iPhone 7!

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  • Helpful answers

  • by raymond73,

    raymond73 raymond73 Sep 22, 2016 6:54 AM in response to mark-eric
    Level 4 (1,738 points)
    Sep 22, 2016 6:54 AM in response to mark-eric

    Go with a Verizon phone. The SIM slot is unlocked and will allow the phone to work on AT&T and T-Mobile networks. If you purchase a phone at full price on a prepaid plan you can leave Verizon when you choose. If you get a subsidized phone you are stuck for two years or paying a substantial early termination fee.

     

    I am on Verizon and am happy with their system. I pay less than $90 a month for two phones, one of them is a dumb flip phone, the other an iPhone 6S. Good solid coverage in my area. No complaints.

  • by mark-eric,

    mark-eric mark-eric Sep 22, 2016 2:35 PM in response to raymond73
    Level 1 (8 points)
    iPhone
    Sep 22, 2016 2:35 PM in response to raymond73

    Thanks, Raymond73.

    Unfortunately Im with AT&T right now and this website wont let me buy a Verizon phone. I may have to go with a T Mobile unit because its the only one unlocked. Still trying to figure it out.

  • by KiltedTim,

    KiltedTim KiltedTim Sep 22, 2016 2:39 PM in response to mark-eric
    Level 9 (55,622 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 22, 2016 2:39 PM in response to mark-eric

    The iPhone 7 that's sold for use on the US GSM carriers (AT&T and T-Mobile) will NOT work on CDMA carriers (Verizon and Sprint). They use a different modem chipset from Intel that does not contain a CDMA radio. The models sold for CDMA carriers (Verizon and Sprint) will work on both CDMA and GSM carriers.

     

    If there is a chance you might switch to Verizon, then buy the Verizon phone.

  • by mark-eric,

    mark-eric mark-eric Sep 22, 2016 3:14 PM in response to KiltedTim
    Level 1 (8 points)
    iPhone
    Sep 22, 2016 3:14 PM in response to KiltedTim

    Thanks Tim,

    Well that answers that question, thanks! Only have to figure out how to get one. It will only allow me to buy a Verizon phone if I already have an account. Which I dont. Im even trying to pay full price. So **** complicated just to buy a phone.

  • by Wabcan,

    Wabcan Wabcan Sep 22, 2016 8:21 PM in response to mark-eric
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Peripherals
    Sep 22, 2016 8:21 PM in response to mark-eric

    HI, I bought my iPhone 7 unlocked at the Apple Store.

  • by Mark Beaty,

    Mark Beaty Mark Beaty Sep 23, 2016 3:58 PM in response to Wabcan
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Sep 23, 2016 3:58 PM in response to Wabcan

    You didn't buy an unlocked iPhone 7 online or at the Apple Store that supports both CDMA and GSM, unless you (a) are an existing Verizon customer and got the Verizon phone (even then, it's still not going to be "unlocked" until you've satisfied your Verizon contact), or (b) you somehow got an unlocked phone through the Apple IUP (iPhone Upgrade Program).

  • by Mark Beaty,

    Mark Beaty Mark Beaty Sep 23, 2016 4:11 PM in response to mark-eric
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Sep 23, 2016 4:11 PM in response to mark-eric

    mark-eric, if you figure this out, please let us know. I'm in the same boat. Maybe get a Verizon phone through a Verizon store, full price, with prepaid plan (as someone mentioned above)? I've never had Verizon and I probably won't want Verizon in the future, but I would definitely like to have a "world" phone, if nothing more than for resale value. If I'm paying full price for a phone, I should be able to get a phone that will work on any type of network!

  • by Wabcan,

    Wabcan Wabcan Sep 24, 2016 7:22 AM in response to Mark Beaty
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Peripherals
    Sep 24, 2016 7:22 AM in response to Mark Beaty

    Sorry Mark, maybe it's because your in the US and I in Canada but I did buy unlocked online September 9 to be picked up in a Apple Store location of my choice. My phone was definitely unlocked and operational as soon as I inserted my Nano sim card. Never been with Verizon, never will. Here in Canada Verizon is administrated by Bell Canada and the service is bad. I have seen many postings on the web where people from the US stated they could not by unblocked but here in Canada we had the choice to go with a number of cell services or unlocked.

  • by mark-eric,

    mark-eric mark-eric Sep 24, 2016 10:22 AM in response to Mark Beaty
    Level 1 (8 points)
    iPhone
    Sep 24, 2016 10:22 AM in response to Mark Beaty

    Hey Mark,

    I ended up buying a new Verizon phone on ebay. I paid $200 more for it but I figured I'd lose that amount if we ended up switching to Verizon from AT&T later and I had to buy a new phone. Plus I would also lose money from selling a used phone. So I think it worked out okay that way. I got a good seller that was willing to negotiate, but be careful, there are some frauds on there trying to sell new phones for like $3000 and they're located in China. Thanks again for your help!

  • by mark-eric,

    mark-eric mark-eric Sep 24, 2016 10:23 AM in response to Wabcan
    Level 1 (8 points)
    iPhone
    Sep 24, 2016 10:23 AM in response to Wabcan

    I really do not understand why they arent selling the generic unlocked version here. All the past models that option is available, but with a new one it is not. Makes no sense.

  • by Wabcan,

    Wabcan Wabcan Sep 24, 2016 11:33 AM in response to mark-eric
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Peripherals
    Sep 24, 2016 11:33 AM in response to mark-eric

    Maybe the carriers in the US have protested so they can charge you to unlock it later although it wouldn't be t Apple's advantage. Still it doesn't make sense to me either. Perhaps you could ask your Apple store why that is that in Canada we have the choice and the US doesn't???